We Talked About This
by SophieDevereauxtoo
Summary: Beverly attends the Admiral's reception with Picard but is surprised to see Seven at the party. Janeway confronts her while Picard talks to Seven.


Beverly Crusher comes up to Captain Picard, slightly out of breath. He turns to her with a smile.

"Beverly! You look wonderful!" he says as he kisses her on the cheek. "You look positively glowing!"

"Thank you, Jean-Luc," she says shyly. She turns to the others in the group, Will Riker and Deanna Troi.

"I love your dress Deanna. And you look lovely too Will," she says with a smile. He takes a slight bow. Deanna, on the other hand, is not pleased. She grabs Beverly's arm.

"Excuse us for a minute Gentlemen," she says as she pulls Beverly away. Beverly pulls her arm back.

"Ow! What are you doing?"

Deanna turns on her. "Are you drunk?"

"Not quite," Beverly replies, still rubbing her arm.

"Where did you find alcohol? Did Seven give it to you?"

"It was a gift. A good one too. I'll save you some."

Deanna narrows her eyes.

"We talked about this Beverly!"

Beverly is done with Deanna and her scolding. "No. We absolutely did not. Why do you care anyway?"

"She got you drunk and then you had sex!"

Beverly smiles devilishly. "Actually, we had sex, then I got drunk and then we had sex again."

Deanna sighs. "We did talk about this. About her manipulating you. Getting you drunk is the same as hypnotizing you. How are you not getting this? She's using this, and sex, to control you."

"I'm not being controlled! I know exactly what I'm doing! And to what end? What in the Universe would she have to gain by using me?"

"I don't know. Yet."

"Well, when you figure it out, you let me know. Until then, I have a reception to go to and a woman to get back to."

She turns and stalks away while Deanna glares at her back.

Beverly is enmeshed in a philosophical conversation about the use of nanotechnology in medicine when she feels a disturbance in the force. She glances up and is stunned to see Seven of Nine enter the room. Seven is dressed in a strapless gown, the same bright blue as her eyes. Her hair is down and lies in curls on her shoulders. She spots Captain Janeway and moves to stand next to her. Janeway smiles and introduces her to the group she's been conversing with. Deanna comes to stand next to Beverly.

"What is she doing here?"

"I..I don't know."

"Did you know she was coming?"

"No. She never said a word."

"Interesting. You should go talk to her."

Beverly watches for a moment as Seven says something and Janeway laughs. Janeway moves closer until her shoulder touches Seven's. Seven tosses her hair and speaks to her captain again. The group moves away, leaving the two women alone. They don't seem to notice.

"No. She knows I'm here if she wants to talk. It looks as if she's busy." She feels Picard watching her and she goes to stand next to him. He puts his hand possessively on the small of her back. He saw Seven's arrival as well.

"Are you OK?" he asks.

"I'm fine. Why is everyone so worried about me? I'm fine."

Picard nods and takes a drink from a passing waiter. He hands it to Beverly.

"This must be a bit awkward."

"I said I'm fine!"

Beverly keeps her eye on Seven as she moves around the room talking to the various dignitaries. She makes sure to keep her distance though she finds herself staring more than once. She can't help but think about how beautiful the woman is and how badly she wants to remove that blue dress. Seven doesn't seem to notice her at all. Finally, she's had enough. She makes her excuses to Picard and leaves for the womens' room.

In the bathroom, Beverly splashes water on her face, trying to cool her emotions. She leans her hands on the edge of the vanity and stares at herself in the mirror. Does she have this whole thing wrong? Is Deanna right? Is Seven playing her somehow? If so, what is the game? What does she want? She shakes her head, trying to clear it. They need to talk. It's all just a big misunderstanding. She decides to go back to the party and confront Seven. Surely there's a simple explanation why she never mentioned she would be at the reception as well.

Beverly senses another person in the room with her and turns to see Captain Janeway. The woman is small but there is no mistaking her authority. Her bright blue eyes are intelligent and her posture and set of her jaw let Beverly know that she is not someone to be messed with.

"Dr. Crusher."

"Yes?"

"I was hoping we would have a chance to meet tonight."

"We've met once before. On the Enterprise. Deep Space 9. Before you…"

"I remember," Janeway says sternly.

"Right. Well, it's nice to see you again."

"Let's cut to the chase Doctor. I want to talk about Seven of Nine."

"Ok. What about her?"

Janeway narrows her eyes. Beverly knows exactly what she wants to talk about. She's grown weary of the game. "I know you've been seeing her."

"We've been seeing each other. Are you asking me what my intentions are?"

"I suppose I am."

"Honestly Captain, I don't know. We're just enjoying getting to know each other."

"I think you've been enjoying more than that."

Beverly feels a spark of anger. "I think we're done here!"

"No. We're not. You need to leave Seven alone."

"I'm sorry. I get that you feel the need to protect Seven but she can make her own choices about who she dates."

Janeway loses her temper too. "Seven is a child!"

Beverly laughs sharply. "Seven is NOT a child. She's a grown woman and she knows exactly what she's doing! This is the best relationship I've had in a long time and I'm not backing away from it just to make you feel better about your protégé. It's time you recognize that she's all grown up and can make her own choices about her life!"

She pushes past Janeway before the woman can answer. Outside the restroom, she falls back against the wall and tries to control her anger. At the other end of the corridor, she sees Seven talking to a man.

"Oh gods," she groans as she realizes that it's Picard Seven is talking to. She can't hear what they're saying but, from their body language, she can tell it's going about as well as her talk with Janeway.

Seven watches Captain Janeway follow Beverly out of the room. She saw Beverly watching her. She can tell by her facial expressions that she is angry to see her at the party. She wishes to explain but her captain told her to stay away. She will talk to Beverly when she gets back. Hopefully, Beverly's talk with Captain Janeway will go well. She doesn't think so. The captain is angry too. She just wishes she knew why.

She decides to follow the two women. Maybe if she is there, they won't be so angry with each other. She steps into the corridor but cannot see either of her friends. Disappointed, she turns to go back to where Janeway told her to wait. She runs into someone.

The man standing in her way is older than Janeway, he is mostly bald, the little hair he does have is white from age. He wears the rank of captain. Seven recognizes him right away.

"My apologies Captain Picard. I did not see you standing there."

The captain stares at her. "What is your designation?" he barks.

"I am Seven of Nine."

"That is not a designation!"

"No. It is my name."

"I am Locutus of Borg. You will state your designation!"

Seven begins to lose patience. "I know you. You are not Borg. You are human. You are Captain Picard of the Enterprise. I do not answer to you."

"You are Borg."

"I was Borg. Now I am human."

Picard abandons this line of questioning.

"What is your interest in Beverly Crusher?"

"Beverly and I are friends."

"Borg do not have friends. I don't know what you want from her but you need to stay away from Beverly."

"I will not! We are friends. I do not want anything from her. I love her."

Picard blinks, trying to think of a response to Seven's admission. It is just then that Beverly arrives.

"Is everything OK here?" she asks. Picard and Seven both nod.

"Yes. Of course," Picard answers her. "Seven and I were just getting acquainted."

Beverly looks at Seven who answers her as well. "Captain Picard and I were discussing our shared experience as Borg."

Beverly knows that both of these answers are only half truths but she decides to let it go. Seven addresses her.

"I am sorry you're angry. I can explain everything to you."

"I'm not angry. I was just surprised to see you."

"It was an order. I did not know."

"It's OK. We can talk about it."

Beverly gives Picard a kiss on the cheek.

"Good night Jean-Luc. Thank you for looking out for me." She laces her fingers with Seven's and they turn and walk away. Picard watches them go with a sigh. A woman stands close behind him, watching as well.

"It seems as though we have something in common," the woman says.

Picard turns with a smile.

"Indeed it seems that we do Captain."

"Katherine."

He dips his head. "Jean-Luc. Would you care to have a drink with me Katherine?"

Janeway glances one more time in the direction of Beverly and Seven.

"Yes Jean-Luc, I believe I would."


End file.
